substitutes for tetra chloride in making a lava lamp

marique3 · Post by **marique3** » Fri Jul 12, 2013 1:05 am

To make the goo substance for a lava lamp you need tetra chloride to mix with melted candle wax. Tetra chloride is not available in South Africa and we tried benzene and also chloroform but with no success. Can you suggest anything else we could use.

deleted-93346 · Post by **deleted-93346** » Sun Jul 14, 2013 2:37 am

*** You will need adult supervision AND a fume hood! ***

Take a look at

http://www.bigclive.com/lavalamp.htm

for a "how to".

*** You will need adult supervision AND a fume hood! ***

No joke -- trichloroethylene is nasty stuff -- don't get cancer for the sake of a lamp. And hot alcohol and wax
is a FIRE HAZARD too.

Check the rules for your science fair. They may prohibit projects with these potential dangers; at the least they may prohibit bringing your lava lamp into the exhibit hall.

deleted-71882 · Post by **deleted-71882** » Tue Jul 16, 2013 7:40 am

Hello marique3,

As John Dreher has discussed, commercially available lava lamps contain hazardous ingredients. You can make lamps that work more or less like a lava lamp using simple, safe ingredients. See http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids ... /lavalamp/ for an example. If you search the web for "make lava lamp," you'll find other ideas.

Good luck, WW

deleted-93346 · Post by **deleted-93346** » Wed Jul 17, 2013 7:19 am

Thanks for your information WW -- I didn't find that link. This recipe is much the safest of any I've seen.

substitutes for tetra chloride in making a lava lamp

substitutes for tetra chloride in making a lava lamp

If at first you don't succeed -- try, try, trichloroethylene

Re: substitutes for tetra chloride in making a lava lamp

Re: substitutes for tetra chloride in making a lava lamp